We use cookies to improve your online experience. For information on the cookies we use and for details on how we process your personal information, please see our privacy policy. By continuing to use our website you consent to us using cookies. OK, Thanks

General Power of Competence

Is your council considering adopting the General Power of Competence (if eligible)?

YesNo

173,227 page views over twelve months, updated daily.

Advice and guidance

Member involvement

Celebrating success

Promoting parish councils assets

Training

Formed by Parish Councils --- Run for Parish Councils --- Delivering to Parish Councils

The Gloucestershire Association of Parish and Town Councils (GAPTC) is a not for profit membership organisation, representing, training and advising the parish and town councils of Gloucestershire, who form the grass roots tier (or first level) of local government in England.

GAPTC offer members a resource of vital, operational information and facilitate communication at all levels of the parish network - district, county, regional and national.

As a membership association we are unable to deal with queries from the public, but we are happy to make general information available through this website, which helps to increase understanding and awareness about the sector.

Parish precepts have risen by 4.9% on last year's increase according to Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government's live tables published yesterday which provide Band D Council Tax figures, average Council Tax per dwelling and Council Tax statistics for all parish and town councils in England. Headlines include: total precepts increased by just over £33 million to £518 million, the average Band D is now £64.05 per year compared to £61.03 on 2017/18, a rise of 4.9% to £3.02 (or 17p per week). More »

NALC are in the process of undertaking further analysis of this data as part of our ongoing work on council tax referendums, this will be made available shortly. » Less

Rishi Sunak MP, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and Andrew Gwynne MP, shadow secretary of state at MHCLG will speak at the NALC Annual Conference.

Rishi Sunak MP has also agreed to an exclusive interview and to be the cover star for LCR Autumn.

NALC meets Rishi Sunak MP

The NALC chairman, Cllr Sue Baxter met Rishi Sunak MP on 8 May. A few highlights of this meeting include: More »

· Addressed concerns about the impact of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

· Thanked him for the government's amendment to the Data Protection Bill

· Accessing funding to help improve and enhance local council cyber security systems

· The NALC work with the LGA on improving relations between the tiers was well-received

· Confirmation the lack of parliamentary time was delaying changes to parish polls rules and proposals for a Public Service Ombudsman

· Three-year deal on council tax referendums was welcomed and our commitment to continuing to work closely with the government on parish finances

MPs support Data Protection Bill amendment

On 9 May MPs accepted the government's amendment to exempt all parish and town councils and parish meetings in England, and community and town councils in Wales from the requirement to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) under the GDPR. It now enters a ping pong phase with the House of Lords considering amendments made during the House of Commons stages, though we do not expect this amendment to be reversed.

Matt Hancock MP wrote a letter to his opposite number Liam Byrne MP, which said:

"The government is grateful to the National Association of Local Councils and colleagues from all sides of the House for their representations in respect of parish and community councils… the government is implementing a fair a proportionate regulatory regime and good arguments have been made that further adjustment is needed… we have been working to minimise the impact of this requirement, but have concluded that as parish and community councils process very little personal data, the burden they will face is disproportionate."

The Charter for Trees, Woods and People

Throughout last year NALC worked with the Woodland Trust to promote The Charter for Trees, Woods and People, including producing a new toolkit for local councils. Woodland Trust has secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to continue supporting the Charter, this includes a small grant to NALC. Things we will do over the next three years will include promoting the toolkit, growing the Charter Branch network and supporting the annual Tree Charter Day on the last Saturday of November.

On 9 May MPs accepted the government's amendment to exempt all parish and town councils and parish meetings from the requirement to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) under the GDPR. It now enters a ping pong phase with the House of Lords considering amendments made during the House of Commons stages, though we do not expect this amendment to be reversed.